Translator: Nox

The Top Student Hides Her Regression

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Han Ji-soo

Kang Da where r u

22:07

22:07

Working my part-time job

Han Ji-soo

Still?

22:07

Got something important left to do!

22:08

What about you?

Han Ji-soo

Cram school just ended for me too

22:08

Han Ji-soo

Seo Jae-gyeom didn't come again today

Such a waste of money ><

22:09

That's because Seo Jae-gyeom is with me right now.

Swallowing the unsaid words, I flipped my phone over. It felt like I had unintentionally kept a secret from Jisu.

Even though I told her I didn't like Seo Jae-gyeom anymore, Jisu habitually kept giving me updates about him.

'Come to think of it, Jisu used to push so hard to set me up with Seo Jae-gyeom.'

In the first place, it was Jisu who had first suggested that I sit next to Seo Jae-gyeom instead of her during math class, and...

Now that I've stepped aside, could things work out between Seo Jae-gyeom and Jisu in this life?

If that happened, I'd have to congratulate them.

So, as for why I was with Seo Jae-gyeom past ten at night.

"Kang Da-hye. Is this really all I need to do?"

"Yeah."

I glanced over at Seo Jae-gyeom, who was whispering beside me.

I had told him to dress as much like an adult as possible, so he showed up wearing a button-down shirt and slacks. It didn't make him look like a full-blown adult, but at the very least, he looked like a freshman in college.

The kind of popular college guy with a terrible temper who, before March even ended, would probably start dating a pretty upperclassman unnie.

Seeing Seo Jae-gyeom as a college student—something I had never seen before the regression and wouldn't see in the future—felt somewhat nice in its own way.

Noticing me sizing up his appearance, Seo Jae-gyeom curled the corner of his lips.

"How is it? Do I look old?"

"You look exactly twenty. It's great."

The perfect age to lose your temper and beat up an adult. When I added that explanation, he laughed.

"Kang Da-hye, I think this is the first time it's just been the two of us like this."

Saying that, Seo Jae-gyeom handed me one of the two banana milk bottles he had just paid for.

"This is what you like, right?"

Strictly speaking, I preferred coffee milk, but...

"Yeah."

Poking a straw into the jar-shaped banana milk, I looked outside.

Reflected in the convenience store's glass wall were me in my school uniform and Seo Jae-gyeom in casual clothes, standing side by side, sipping banana milk.

Right now, Seo Jae-gyeom and I were in a convenience store diagonally across from Ibaji Academy.

"Are you really sure this is enough? This isn't helping you, it's helping Kim Gaeun."

"Helping Kim Gaeun is helping me."

"Why?"

"Because what I want most right now is for this problem to be solved."

"You're not even that close with Kim Gaeun."

"We got close. A few days ago."

"What does that even..."

"Shh. He's coming."

Whispering that it was him, I grabbed Seo Jae-gyeom's wrist beside me.

Seo Jae-gyeom, who flinched for some reason and clamped his mouth shut, fixed his gaze on the academy building across the street and the middle-aged man loitering over toward it.

Here's a question.

What on earth had I asked Seo Jae-gyeom to do?

'There's this creepy older guy following Gaeun around at the academy. But she can't tell her parents about it. Could you pretend to be Gaeun's oppa and get rid of him?'

Men like that might completely ignore what a girl says, but they listen to other men.

If an adult male went over and told him not to approach his younger sister, he'd listen. If only out of fear of getting beaten up.

'Does that guy come every day?'

'Probably not every day? Gaeun doesn't go to the academy every day.'

'Then what if he doesn't show up on the day I stake it out?'

'Could you come again the next day?'

'What the hell. Then that means it's not just a one-time favor.'

'...Do you want the chocolate back?'

Take this back and do me two favors. I remembered how Seo Jae-gyeom's face had gone flat at my words, which were a mix of awkwardness and sheer shamelessness.

'I was just saying. You eat it. I'll help until that guy shows up.'

Fortunately, with good luck, the man appeared on the very first try.

Spotting the man snooping around the academy entrance, I sent a message to Gaeun, who was inside. Soon, Gaeun, looking tense, stepped out of the academy as usual.

Immediately, the man latched on behind her. Wearing a smile that looked even more disgusting from a distance.

Confirming that the man was approaching Gaeun, Seo Jae-gyeom bolted out of the convenience store.

I threw my finished banana milk into the trash can and left the convenience store as well. Hiding behind an illegally parked car right in front, I peeked my phone out through the gap.

-Video Recording in Progress-

"A grown young lady out so late at night every time..."

"Hey, mister."

Seo Jae-gyeom strode over and threw an arm around the man's shoulders.

The man flustered at the sudden appearance of a well-built young man. Seo Jae-gyeom, looking down at the man's shiny bald crown as if gazing at an insect, jerked his chin toward Gaeun.

"Hey, is this the guy? The one who follows you after your classes end?"

Even before Gaeun could answer, Seo Jae-gyeom nodded to himself as if he understood. That punkish vibe emanating from his large frame and youthful skin.

Glancing briefly in my direction, Seo Jae-gyeom abruptly grabbed the man by the collar.

"!"

For a second, I almost jumped up from where I sat.

Whoa, Seo Jae-gyeom really doesn't hold back!

Dragging the man close with one hand, Seo Jae-gyeom whispered something into his ear. Whatever he said made the man's face drain completely white in an instant.

The man stammered frantically.

"I-I really just thought of her like a daughter... with good intentions... No, young man, even so, to an elder... Just how old do you think I am...!"

"What country's father creeps on a daughter walking alone at night, huh?"

"Creeps on...?! It's a misunderstanding!"

"I don't give a damn about your misunderstanding or whatever. Don't come near her. If you so much as show up again claiming you're clearing up a misunderstanding, I'll...!"

"I-I won't...! I won't...!"

-Video Recording Ended-

'Hmm. I can't use this.'

If I showed this to someone else, Seo Jae-gyeom would be the first one hauled away by the police.

'I didn't expect Seo Jae-gyeom to get so into character.'

Still, the effect was unmistakable.

The man, who hadn't budged at all when Gaeun showed her discomfort, tucked his tail and vanished after a single threat from Seo Jae-gyeom.

Without sparing so much as a glance back toward Gaeun.

Having confirmed the man was gone, Seo Jae-gyeom turned back to Gaeun.

"Hey, you okay?"

I got up from my hiding spot and rushed over to the two of them.

"What did he say?"

"Said he won't come anymore. I told him I'd kill him if he showed up one more time."

"And then?"

"He said okay, obviously."

What else could he say? Seo Jae-gyeom shrugged. Like someone who had never experienced this kind of threat in his entire life.

In contrast, Gaeun.

Letting out a hollow laugh, Gaeun muttered.

"...It gets resolved that easily."

I could read the sheer desolation showing on her face.

Yeah, that's right. Feels empty, doesn't it?

I knew it would turn out like this, but seeing it with my own eyes still felt bitter.

I slipped the phone in my hand into my pocket.

"Well, then."

Now it was time to resolve another issue.

I looked at Gaeun, who was standing dazed.

"Kim Gaeun."

"...Yeah."

"When you go to school tomorrow, apologize to Doyeon."

"Huh...?"

"I won't drag it out. How did you feel earlier when that man was clinging to you?"

"...Well, obviously."

"You hated it, right?"

"Yeah."

"You hated it too, so do you think Doyeon liked it?"

"..."

"You said that about Doyeon, didn't you? That those rumors started because she led him on. I could say the exact same thing to you right now. How would you feel if someone told you that in this situation?"

I didn't want to say things like, 'Now that you've experienced it, you understand, don't you?'

But I wanted Gaeun to realize at least a little bit from this incident.

Gaeun didn't answer, but I knew she understood what I meant.

I hugged Gaeun, who was tearing up.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not something to be sorry to me about. And I'm not saying this to lecture you."

"...Okay."

Right, as long as you understand, that's enough.

The rest is up to you.

"You're going straight home, right? We'll walk you. What about you, Seo Jae-gyeom?"

At my checking question, Seo Jae-gyeom tipped his head.

"I'll go with you."

"What's gotten into you?"

"...I'm not that heartless, you know."

With Gaeun in the middle, the three of us walked side by side with Seo Jae-gyeom.

It didn't take long to reach the apartment complex where Gaeun lived.

"Go on in."

"Okay."

Hesitating, Gaeun opened her mouth.

"Thank you so much for today. You too, Dahye, and you too, Seo Jae-gyeom."

"Yeah. If that guy shows up again, contact me. ...Actually, no, I'll just come pick you up around the time your academy ends for a while."

"Myak."

That sound just now came out of me in pure shock.

Seo Jae-gyeom showing this kind of kindness...?

Did you, like, regress too or something?

After Gaeun went inside, I asked Seo Jae-gyeom.

"Are you sick somewhere?"

"I told you, my personality isn't that much of total trash..."

"Really...?"

"Did you even actually like me?"

"It wasn't your personality I liked."

"Unbelievable."

"Hehe."

"How could I just stand by and watch a situation like that? I'd help even if it were a total stranger."

"Oh..."

"Besides."

Seo Jae-gyeom's expressionless gaze locked dead onto me.

"If I come pick up Kim Gaeun, doesn't that mean I get to see you too?"

"?"

Is that what matters?